Running Faves

This weekend I have a 9-mile training run scheduled. I am training for the Columbus Half Marathon on October 18. In light of that, and the upcoming Race for the Cure on September 12 (anybody else running that?), I thought I'd share some of my favorite running "necessities".

1. Good Shoes. Obviously, you need good shoes to run comfortably. I bought some mediocre shoes this past spring and am feeling the effects of them now. Well-fitting shoes does not mean they need to cost you $100. My best tip would be to go to a local running store, like Bob Roncker's Running Spot or Fleet Feet and have someone there measure your foot and analyze your stride. Knowing what type of foot you have (i.e. do you pronote, supinate, have high arches or flat feet) makes a tremendous difference in your comfort level when you run. Once you've found a few recommended shoes there, head over to Roadrunner Sports online and see if you can find the shoe on sale and/or on clearance. Often, a different colored-model will be on sale. Nine times out of ten, I purchase my running shoes online, mostly because most running stores carry very few models in my size and I usually get a better price. But, fit is sooo important-so make sure you know what kind of foot you have before purchasing online.

Me, I pronate slightly and have a very high arch, so I look for a shoe with medium stability, cushion and decent arch support. I tend to find the best luck with Ascics. Remember-comfort over color! Style should not matter when picking out shoes!

2. Attire. I used to wear whatever when I was younger. Old t-shirts, grubby shorts, it didn't really matter to me. However, towards the end of high school and into college I started appreciating having "running clothes" distinct from my cotton t-shirt collection. This is definitely a place where you don't have to spend much money. Target's C9 brand has an excellent selection of running shirts, tank tops, shorts and pants. The material is what is most important here. If you're running 9 miles and you have a shirt that rubs your arm funny, you can bet that 9 miles will be highly uncomfortable! I'll never forget running the NYC marathon in a cotton t-shirt and ending up with chafing marks completely around my arm and neck. It was AWFUL, and a mistake I will never make again. Dryfit 4 Life!

The second thing that is important about attire other than comfortable runs, is that you look cute! How much more motivated will you be with a cute matching outfit waiting for you in your drawer when you're trying to get out of bed at 5:30AM to run? It might sound silly, but it gets me going. And, if you're so inclined, try out the running skirt. Very cute-but I haven't been swayed from shorts yet.

3. Music. Of course, this is entirely optional. I didn't start running with an iPod until I was well into law school. My first year of college I would run on the treadmill some days with a tape player walkman. The only tape I had was Best of Bruce Springsteen-it got really worn out. Some days I really like to run without distraction, just enjoying the sunrise and my thoughts. Other days, music is essential to me finishing my mileage. My favorite is my little iPod Nano. Small enough that I don't notice it while running, but large enough memory to hold lots of songs so I can create several playlists. For my OBX marathon, I had hours and hours of playlists set up and it was soooo helpful!

How to wear the iPod while running? Well, I see lots of people who do the armband thing-but for me, I prefer the clip that attaches to the waistband of my running shorts. The arm thing either feels too tight (a la blood pressure machine at KMart) or too loose and it's falling down my arm. The clip is perfect.

And, if you're like me and you threw away those silly ear buds you got with your iPod because they are worthless, let me recommend these headphones (now on sale at Amazon.com for 19.99):

They are awesome. Behind the head works best for me. Great sound and they do not jiggle while running or pop out like those stupid ear buds. Seriously, those things SUCK for working out. I am always in shock when I see someone using them.

4. Socks. I think it's imperative to invest in some good quality athletic socks. And you don't have to invest much-just head over to TJMaxx where they always have a wall full of athletic socks at least half off regular price. I prefer the type that are thin on top and cushion-y on the bottom. I like mine to be as low as possible. And if you're really looking to be fancy, get some with the CoolMax in them to prevent super stinky, sweaty feet after a run. I'm serious that my shoes don't smell like some athletic shoes do, and I attribute it to my CoolMax socks!

Who said your socks have to be white? These pink ones are adorable!

**Of course, the best thing about running is you hardly need anything to run! A pair of shoes, some old clothes and you're off-exploring your town or a city where you are vacationing. I absolutely love running. If you're looking to start a running program or just starting to get into running, I'd recommend Hal Higdon's website (for training schedules) or the Couch Potato to 5K website. Both offer great tips about running and I think most people who commit to starting a program and complete a race get hooked!

Shocking!

Imagine my surprise when I spotted my fall J.Crew catalog in my mail basket (yes, I do not have a mailbox) and observed the cover page model sporting a denim shirt! I have not seen a denim shirt in a clothing store for women since, oh say, 1990? They might call it chambray, but it looks like a jean shirt to me.

And on the cover, the model was wearing it over a white turtleneck. Yikes. This reminds me of my sister's 4th grade school photo in which she wore a jean shirt, white turtleneck and the biggest earrings ever! This was right around the time that my school photos all had laser beams in the background. Remember?

J.Crew-I adore your clothes, but please, pretty please, don't bring back the jean shirt. It should remain in the 80s.

Get used to a chill in the air.

If you're like me, you've been loving this weather the past few days-chilly at night, but warm (and not humid!) during the day. Perfect for sleeping, perfect for running, perfect in general! It gets me all excited for fall.

Until I remember that after fall comes winter. Ugh. And, I heard on the radio this morning that the Farmer's Almanac is using the words "ice cold" to describe the Midwest's winter this year. We should expect "numbing" temperatures and lots of snow. Grrrrrrreat.

Why can't it perpetually stay fall?

Cheerful flowers.

I adore sunflowers. I've loved them since I was a little girl. My favorite shirt forever was this shirt with a huge, glittery sunflower on it. Behind gerber daisies, they are my favorite. There's just something cheerful about them. Roses are lovely-of course-but there's nothing like a bright, colorful sunflower or gerber daisy. There is just no comparison.

Anyway, I have these two empty plant stands on my deck and I planned to put two small potted mums there for the fall. BUT, yesterday, at Kroger they had these beautiful (too big for the plant stands!) potted sunflowers for $8.99. I resisted, but now I think I should've bought them.

What do you think? Is it ghetto to buy flowers at Kroger? And is it silly to spend $8.99 (which I know isn't much) for a pot of sunflowers that likely will die once the first frost hits?

Maybe I should just carry the sunflowers into work. Instant cheerful office...hmm.

Random Pictures of the week

I'm really trying hard to take more pictures! Here are some from this week.

Jabs and I were lucky enough to be invited to watch the pre-season Bengals' game last night in a suite no less! This was my first NFL experience, and I must say, this is the way to watch a game. I'll take a glass of Merlot over a warm Miller Lite anyday while watching football! Not to mention the Donatos set up at half time. Yum.

Here is pie #1. I am entering a pie contest (veeerrrry low level!) on September 26 and was working on my recipe. Don't judge my lattice work-I didn't have my pretty pastry cutter yet, and I didn't roll out the dough thin enough. The verdict on this one was that it was a bit too lemon-y. Suggestions noted! (Do you love my ghetto cooling rack? Yes, that is a muffin tin.)

Here is Steve with his true love. Notice how she is "sitting". She loves this position-weirdo!

Pie #2. The good old crumb topping. Delicious, but to me, maybe a bit sweet? This was the taster's choice; however. Don't judge the low crust-obviously I'd make it prettier for the judges! This was for taste only!! By the way, handmade crust is the way to go. It's not as hard as you think. The key-coooold water and coooold butter.

I couldn't leave this one out. I'm glad she's getting groomed this weekend-way too scruffy!

The twitch.

I have had an eye twitch for 9 hours straight now. Yep, since I woke up. It makes writing this motion I'm working on awfully tough. I keep squinting, but it doesn't get any better. I'm using it as my excuse to periodically (read: continually) peruse the onslaught of Kennedy-family pictures covering the internet. I seriously love looking at them and can't stop!

Completely unrelated, tonight I will have my first real sushi experience. I'm going more for the company than for the food. I've had one bite of sushi and was very less than thrilled. I just don't understand why you'd want all your meal rolled into one item? I like to savor my food, not eat it in 6 bites! I've been advised to stay away from the eel. The fact that it's even on the menu kind of grosses me out-and I love seafood!

Oh well. The restaurant has a great wine list, so if all else fails, I'll enjoy that!

Wish me luck.

Yikes.

Stop texting and driving. This video freaked me out.

2 years.

From this:

To this:

Ok, hmm, we look pretty much the same.

Happy Anniversary, Steve!

Lazy Blog Day

I received the following in an e-mail today from a friend and thought it was pretty funny. I've bolded and added my personal comments to the ones I found to be particularly true! Yes, I am a lazy blogger.

Random thoughts from people 25-35 years old..
-I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

-More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me.

-Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

-I don't understand the purpose of the line, "I don't need to drink to have fun." Great, no one does. But why start a fire with flint and sticks when they've invented the lighter?

-Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk.

-That's enough, Nickelback.

-I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger. AMEN!

-Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know"feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with?

-Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we allknow how to fix the problem? There was no Internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.

-There is a great need for sarcasm font.

-Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the f was going on when I first saw it. Um, Dirty Dancing?? I had no idea there was an abortion in it until I was in college!

-I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.

-How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

-I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.

- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

-The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.

- A recent study has shown that playing beer pong contributes to the spread of mono and the flu. Yeah, if you suck at it.

- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".

- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.

- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart",all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart".

- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?

- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!

- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies"

-What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.

- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

- Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.

-Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty,and you can wear them forever.

- I would like to officially coin the phrase 'catching the swine flu' to be used as a way to make fun of a friend for hooking up with an overweight woman. Example: "Dave caught the swine flu last night."

-I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

- Bad decisions make good stories

-Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning who just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!

- Is it just me or do high school girls get sluttier & sluttier every year? Seriously!

-If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.

-Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....

-You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.

-Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.

-There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far.

-I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to. This happens to me with my briefs all the time!

- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.

-I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?'

-I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello?Dammit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

-When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.

-I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle,then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes.

-Why is a school zone 20 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for pedophiles...

- As a driver I hate pedestrians, and as a pedestrian I hate drivers,but no matter what the mode of transportation, I always hate cyclists.

-Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

-It should probably be called Unplanned Parenthood.

-I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

-Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.

-Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet my ass everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...

-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

-It really pisses me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.

-I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.

-I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

-I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

-The other night I ordered takeout, and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic silverware. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat bastard before dinner.

Ok, so it's not Graeter's...

But, I made a delicious dessert last night that isn't so hard on the waistline like a delicious double scoop of Mint Chocolate Chip. And I bet you have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now!

I was watching an episode of Raechel Ray and was inspired by what she made, though I changed it a bit as she made it with different ingredients.

Ingredients
Bananas (however many you want! I made one per person)
Peanut butter
Honey
Cinnamon/Sugar (I used crystalized cinnamon/sugar mix I had on hand)
Optional toppings: crushed granola, drizzled melted chocolate, sprinkles, chopped peanuts

Directions
Cover serving plate with wax paper. Cut bananas into bite sized pieces. I cut one medium banana into 4 pieces. Stick tooth picks into center of banana. In a small bowl, place one cup of peanut butter and heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until it's warm and easy to stir. Add 2 tablespoons of honey and mix together until completely blended together. Dip banana bites into peanut butter and cover with a coating of the peanut butter/honey mixture. Place on wax paper and top with cinnamon/sugar (or whatever you choose to top with-I think it'd be delicious with some streaks of melted chocolate). Place in fridge for one hour to set. ENJOY!

Yummy...a healthier alternative to dessert if you're like me and feel like dinner isn't complete without something sweet!

Draper is back.

The third season of AMC's hit show Mad Men begins this Sunday. Yes! I really don't know how I'm going to wait an entire week for the next episode considering I got my Don Draper fix via Netflix for the first two seasons.

No clue what I'm talking about? Read about this fantastic show (seriously, it is my favorite on tv right now) in this excellent Vanity Fair article found here. In the meantime, don't forget to set your DVR!

It's never too late, I suppose.

Last night I finished Julie & Julia, the memoir now made into a movie, by Julie Powell. Let me first say that I am biased-I absolutely adore memoirs. I think every person has a fascinating story-and I could read memoirs only for the rest of my life and be happy.

So-Yes, I enjoyed the book. But, I think I was more fascinated with Julia Child than I was with Julie Powell. But, that's ok. I mean the book was partly about Julia Child. At the end of the book, Julie Powell writes about how she was inspired by Julia Child, and I wish I had the book on me (here at work) to quote from it because it was exactly why I loved the book.

Essentially, Julia Child is an inspiring person not because she was a great chef or an entertaining person to watch on tv. She's inspiring because she took the time to figure out what she loved to do-and then she learned how to do it, and did it exceptionally well. When she and her husband were in Paris, she discovered food like she'd never tasted before and decided to go to culinary school to learn how to make it. And that lead to the rest.

And, most importantly to me(!), she was 37 when she started all this food business and became successful doing something she loved.

That's comforting to me. Some people know exactly what they are passionate about and easily find careers that match up. I think others of us aren't sure. We head down one path and it's ok. We might even have a modicum of success at it. But, we're still free to pursue and think and find that thing that we feel like we were meant to do or be a part of.

And it's ok if you don't have it figured out at 28. ;) If only I could find a job that encompasses the beach, wine, delicious food, oh, and dogs! Hmm.

hotties.

Happy Birthday to the hottest girl I know-Katy! And since we're twins, well I guess that makes me hot as well. The proof is in the picture. We may never look that good again.

Redo

I would like to rewind several hours and have a do-over this morning. The kind of do-over where whatever is dangling from my car is once again attached.

*sigh*

the long line at Kroger

I kid you not that when I walked into Kroger last night, there was one cart left in the cart corral in the front of the store. I quickly grabbed it up and thought to myself why in the heck is Kroger crowded on a Monday at 7:15PM? The cop standing watch remarked to me about how crowded it was and I nodded in agreement. A store worker trying to find spare carts added to our conversation, letting us know that "well it's food stamp Monday." Oh. Apparently the first Monday of the month is always quite crowded at Kroger because the federal government adds money to the now-debit-cards-that-were-once-food-stamps at the beginning of the month. And Monday is the day to cash in.

Of course, I should have known.

Normally, I would've been ok with a little crowd. There is almost always a long line at the Kroger I patronize, and I've come to expect it. But, this was truly something to behold. Carts FULL of groceries. This will sound bad-but as I walked the aisles, using my calculator to make sure I didn't go over my budgeted amount, I grew more and more politically conservative! I mean, c'mon, there were so many people in there-and certainly a large percentage of those groceries scanned were going home FOR FREE. Jealousy crept in.

There are all kinds of statistics out there about who pays (and who doesn't pay) income taxes. But, I know this-I pay a significant percentage of my paycheck to the USA. I am a single person who rents, thus I am screwed when it comes to income taxes. And I know this too-there are a ton of people in this country who work who pay zero taxes because they don't quite make enough to be taxed. And then there are the folks who don't work at all.

I've asked this before and I guess someone hasn't explained this to me in a way that makes sense, but why the heck don't we have a flat tax that applies to all working individuals. If you make $8,000 a year, well then you pay _% of tax like everyone else. Our government is always looking for more money-why not try a new taxing system instead of just increasing the percentage the wealthy pay? Just a thought.

In the meantime, I'm going to contemplate a new job at JCrew, or perhaps, the GAP. Just part-time of course. I'd be able to put my student loans in deferment-you know since I don't make enough money, skip out on income taxes, get free groceries and medical coverage, AND get a sweet discount at my favorite clothing store.

It's a win-win.

Legacy

Beware-this is a bit "jumbly."

My mom's mother died on Sunday morning. We grandchildren called her Granny Mom, which was invented by my brother (the first grandchild) because he kept calling her "mom".  And, well, it stuck. She has suffered dementia for the last few years and was in a lot of pain, so part of me is glad she doesn't have to experience feeling confused and frightened most of the time. 

I felt rather nostalgic all day. I kept thinking back to childhood memories of eating pop-tarts and Mikesell's puffcorn in her kitchen-which were always on hand. And those mashed potatoes...often imitated, never replicated. I was thinking on my drive home from Toledo (and my 10 year high school reunion) today how our days in this world really are quite short. And as I get older, time goes by faster and faster. I was struck with the thought, wow, I really don't want to waste time because this is my life. Not to be morbid, but funerals (and reunions) have a way of forcing you to put your own life in perspective. Am I doing what I'm really passionate about? Am I living life or just surviving it?

Anyway, my grandparents (my grandfather died in late February of this year) definitely lived life. While they certainly experienced tragedy (three of their children died before they did-two of them quite tragically), they didn't wallow in self-pity or spend their lives longing for the next best thing. They loved, and were devoted to, their family. And ultimately, this is their legacy. 

 As I looked around the filled church at my grandfather's funeral, I kept thinking: this is their legacy-this huge family. My grandparents had 9 children, 6 of whom are living today. There are countless grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. Before they had to be transferred to a nursing home, my grandparents' house was filled with pictures of their family. Even their Christmas tree was decorated with pictures-old pictures of relatives who had passed away, and new pictures of the grandkids and great grandkids. In their home they were always surrounded by family.

And now, we are blessed to be surrounded by each other. A big, close family devoted to each other because of two simple people who chose to share their lives together. And while we will certainly grieve together at their passing, even more we will celebrate together two lives that were truly lived. A life actually lived-now that is an inspiring legacy.

Lizzy is...

1. Shocked that after 15 minutes of barking, Fi slept through the storms last night in her old crate from puppyhood. It worked! Miracle.

2. Excited for her 10 year high school reunion this Saturday night. I always have fun in Toledo, and it will be even better to spend a night with old friends. Extra bonus-I get to meet my parents' new puppy, Dingo! I am crossing my fingers (and toes) that Fi doesn't want to eat Dingo and they will be fast friends.

3. Hoping today goes fast. This has been an extremely stressful and slooooow week. I cannot wait until the whistle blows at 5PM to be done for the day. Ok, there is no whistle. But, you know.

4. Debating between wearing a dress Saturday night or a skirt/tank top duo. I really cannot decide and I WILL NOT buy something new! Cash budget-how fun.

5. Amazed that her birthday is one week from today! What the heck? I am old.

6. So happy that she found her favorite birthday card at Hallmark that had apparently been MIA for several months. (yes, that's right, the card with the terrier's head out the window of the car and the caption "another year flew by".) I will be buying it in bulk. Expect one on your birthday.

7. Contemplating making herself a birthday cake next week. I aboslutely adore the Barefoot Contessa's chocolate cake (I made it earlier this year) and do not think I can handle a substitute!

8. Definitely buying a new set of headphones for her iPod this weekend. Training for the Columbus half marathon with no tunes is not working out so well!

Fun, right? What are you up to this lovely Friday?

Suggestions?

My Netflix queue needs some work. I need to add some stuff, but I'm not sure what to add. So, any recommendations of movies, documentaries, television series and the like are very much appreciated! No need for them to be new releases-I think I've seen most of those!

Seen anything good lately? Please share.

My two cents.

I will say this about Michael Vick being reinstated and then I promise to be done with it.

People should take advantage of second chances. We're all human and make mistakes. I can come to terms with the fact that unfortunately, our laws don't provide much protection for animals and crimes against animals don't (apparently) warrant much punishment. I understand the argument that he's served his time and should be allowed to resume his life-and career. I will never argue that a human life is less valuable than an animal's life. (If I had to choose between rescuing Fi or Steve from a burning building, of course I'd pick F...oh wait, I mean...kidding ;) )

Here's what I don't understand: If I were to apply for a job at the GAP, making minimum wage, I would not get hired if I were a convicted felon. In a similar fashion, I would be kicked out of the military if I committed a felony. However, in the world of professional sports, the almighty dollar reigns supreme. Just look at nearly any team in football as an example and you will find a plethora of convicted criminals. But we don't mind-as long as they can run fast, catch a ball, or stop the offense.

So few individuals are naturally gifted to play professional sports. And we bless their talent by showering them with millions of dollars. And here, we have an individual gifted with such talent who squandered away more money than most anyone makes in a lifetime, violently tortured and killed animals, and was convicted of a felony. But, sure, he's learned his lesson. Money beats out honor every time in professional sports. It is a business after all.

I hope Michael Vick shocks us naysayers. I hope he grabs hold of this second chance and proves that reform and rehabilitation (the *goals* of our justice system) are achievable.

I also hope that he donates his fat paycheck he'll soon be receiving to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ah, the irony). But, I won't be holding my breath.

Being elle woods is hard work.

Yesterday was a less than wonderful day. Work stress made me feel like I was losing my sanity (or what sanity I have left). I think my heartrate was actually in my "maximum" zone for much of the day-all without working out! Yay. And to top it off, I came home and realized I had no wine.

But, today is a new day. Yesterday is over. I woke up, gave myself a bit of a pep talk, and am ready to put a positive spin on anything stressful that comes my way today (which it surely will).

It also doesn't hurt that I know and am anticipating the delicious selection of wine a certain someone will be bringing over to my place tonight. Just saying.

Easy Chicken Meatballs

Last week I had some lean ground chicken and wasn't sure what I was going to do with it. I wasn't in the mood for burgers, so I decided to make meatballs and toss together with some jar sauce and whole wheat spaghetti. You could also use them in a meatball sub. It was delicious and super easy. I thought I'd share the meatball recipe because it was so incredibly easy and also very healthful!

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground chicken
1/2 Cup italian style bread crumbs
1/4 Cup Grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil

Directions
Mix all ingredients except olive oil in bowl and stir together or use your hand to mix. Form into 1 inch meatballs. I used my pampered chef ice cream scoop and it made the perfect size, uniform balls. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat about 30 seconds. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Once browned, place in saucepan with sauce you are using (homemade or from a jar), simmer over low heat for approximately 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Guess where I'll be this weekend?

Yep, in Pittsburgh to visit family. Gets me all excited for football season.

It's just around the corner!

Discipline.

When my alarm went off this morning at 5:20AM I immediately heard the rain. I then went into this back and forth debate (with myself) as to whether I should wake up and rush around and try to get to the gym before work, or just take the day off from working out, since obviously I would not be running outside. I finally dragged myself out of my bed and made it to the gym.

Here's the thing-I am so extremely disciplined about working out. Granted, I'm not some ultra marathoner or body builder, but 6 days a week I work out for a minimum of 30 minutes-usually it's much longer. In fact, up until this past January when I was unable to exercise because of some medical reasons, I hadn't taken more than one day off a week for years. Usually it's just a run around Clifton, but I am so committed to exercising every day. It's important to me to be physically healthy. No, I'm not a model and am far from having a perfect body, but my heart is in good shape-and I definitely can't attribute that to genetics.

Why is it so easy for me to commit to my physical health, but not so much when it comes to my spiritual "health" if you will? Plain and simple, I am just not as disciplined. It's been over 2 months since I've been involved in any kind of structured community and/or fellowship. And I am definitely starting to feel the effects of that void in my life. Sure, I read my Bible and pray, but I just haven't been commiting to setting aside time to really be alone with God the way that I do when I'm encouraged by others around me doing the same thing. Does that make sense? It's like I lose my discipline...and obviously, the effects of that kind of disconnect are far greater than an expanding waistline.

I was thinking about this today and happened to read this by Henri Nouwen this very morning. I don't think it's a coincidence!

Discipline is the other side of discipleship. Discipleship without discipline is like waiting to run in the marathon without ever practicing. Discipline without discipleship is like always practicing for the marathon but never participating. It is important, however, to realize that discipline in the spiritual life is not the same as discipline in sports. Discipline in sports is the concentrated effort to master the body so that it can obey the mind better. Discipline in the spiritual life is the concetrated effort to create the space and time where God can become our master and where we can respond freely to God's guidance.

Thus, discipline is the creation of boundries that keep time and space open for God. Solitude requires discipline, worship requires discipline, caring for others requires discipline. They all ask us to set apart a time an a place where God's gracious presence can be acknowledged and responded to.
-Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey

Woof.

My parents are getting a dog! How exciting! Isn't he cute??

Need a laugh?

Then watch this video. Though, you've probably already seen it unless you've been living under a rock. Hilarious.

Today is the day.

After much nauseating review of my spending habits over the last few months, I've decided to start the "envelope" system today.* (Recommended by Steve-smart man.) Cash budget-here I come. I'm all set to go to the bank at noon and take out a giant wad of cash to divide into my little envelopes I've already pre-marked with their designated amounts.

Now, I am not as extreme as some. I'm still going to have money set aside for grooming my dog every month, getting pedicures, gifts, clothing etc. I'm just going to have a limit, so it's not out of control. Once I get a bit more control, I'll look into areas where I can skim some off and perhaps spend a bit less.

Since I'm just starting on a cash budget, I'm a little worried to totally spend my entire paycheck into each "envelope" or account. But, in the future I'd love to do that so that my money is going into specific places-i.e. vacation fund, car savings, new leather briefcase...oh wait.

Anyway, yeah. I will still pay for gas with my debit card. BUT, I have an envelope with the amount I can spend and I will be printing off the receipts and subtracting so I know how much more I have. I just can't give up the convenience of paying at the gas pump! I will also be paying bills online, not with cash. But, I already subtract that off of my monthly budget, so it's like I don't even see that money.

We shall see. I'm committing to doing this for 90 days. I will be refilling the envelopes twice a month (I get paid twice a month, not once). I figured if I put it out here on the world wide web, I'd at least have a bit more accountability.

Have you tried this? Any tips?

*Nauseating in the fact that Quicken, even after I went through and re-categorized items, categorized the majority of my money spent on miscellaneous expenses (i.e. pedicures!), dining out, and student loans. Yikes.

This is the life.

I find myself jealous of my dog most days when I leave for work in the morning. You can see why in the picture below. Who needs a dog bed when you can use your owner's feather pillows?

Zoom.

So I just realized we are more than half way done with 2009. What the heck!!? It feels like it just started.

And I just realized my birthday is only 23 days away. Holy. I will be 28 and no longer able to claim I am in my "mid" twenties as opposed to my "late" twenties.

Insanity. Do you find yourself feeling like the dogs pictured below-like life is just flying by?? I do.

Allow me to introduce you...

to my new friend Alice. Everybody needs an Alice. She is my new resource for purchasing all "houseware" needs. Toilet paper, dishwasher detergent, soap, cleaning products, etc. Alice finds the products you need for your home, searches for coupons, and then ships them all to your door for free. Then she sends you reminders (you can set the length of time) to say "um, Liz, I believe you are running low on Shampoo-time for a new shipment").

Why is this amazing? Well, if you're anything like me, when you're out of toilet paper-you don't realize it until you're really out and looking for Kleenex or napkins around the house. TMI? Ok. Better yet, whenever I go to Target for houseware staples, I somehow also end up with a new pair of shoes and some running clothes. And maybe a book. Crap, they sell wine there, too. You get my point. An $8 roll of toilet paper somehow leads me to a $50 check out with items I did not need!

Enter Alice.

I go online, pick out what I need, she ships it to me for free and it arrives within 1-2 business days. No hassle. No automated deliveries (though you can set that up if you are so inclined).

There are a few negatives. First, these are only name brand products. If you use Meijer brand dishwasher detergent, you are S.O.L. Second, the coupons come off the regular retail price. So, you don't take advantage of a store sale + coupon. But, for me (I hate to actually cut coupons), this works fine. Third, there is a 6 item minimum.

I have received one shipment and placed my second order today and I love it!

Try it out.*

*If you really are interested in trying it, I think if I send you an e-mail "refer a friend" deal, you can get $10 off an order of $50. Feel free to e-mail me if interested-elizabeth dot brashear at gmail dot com.

empathy

I decided to stop in Starbucks this morning for a delicious Americano (I haven't had one in months!) and while I was waiting in the horrifically long line, I spotted two people who appeared to be studying. I stared a bit more and saw they had Bar Review books and were obviously studying for the Ohio Bar Exam, which is probably just around the corner.

I really felt for them. I will never forget that summer spent in the library instead of sunning at the pool. No vacation that summer. I was probably the palest I've never been. I had this little room I would study in that had no windows. It would be cluttered with coffee cups, outlines, highlighters, huge books of law, half eaten Barry's Bagels sandwiches, or whatever carry out I had decided to partake in that day. And those last few weeks in July-ugh, those were the worst!

This I know-never again! If some day I decide I belong in a house by the beach instead of lovely Ohio, I'll have to find a beach in a state that allows experienced attorneys to waive in without taking a bar exam.

(Yes, North Carolina is one such state. Once I've practiced for 5 years, I could get licensed in the Tarheel State. Not that I've checked or anything.)

Unbelieveable

A firefighter in Columbus, Ohio didn't want to pay to board his two dogs while he went on a cruise. So, he took them to his basement, tied them up, and shot them both-killing them. He then tied up the carcasses and threw them away in the trash dumpster behind his firestation. His colleagues turned him in to authorities. You can read the story here.

His punishment? 90 days jail time, to be served 10 days at a time so as to not disrupt his work schedule, a fine, and some community service. Oh, and he has to write a letter of apology to be published in the local newspaper. Give me a break.

This is a man employed in public service. Appalling.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

-Mahatma Ghandi

I'm getting old.

I cannot decide whether to attend my 10 year high school reunion. On the one hand, it'd be really fun to see some people and also interesting to see people with whom I am only friends on Facebook. One the other hand, I don't want to pay $40 to go to a "prom-style" night with dinner, drinks and dancing...at the same locale where my prom was held 10 years ago. Yikes. Sadly, there is no after-prom.

Will I regret it if I don't go? Probably not. Will I feel the need to tell everyone I'm a fancy attorney (riiight) when they ask if I'm married or have kids? Probably.

But, for some reason as the date gets closer, it's piquing my interest! Maybe it's just a desire to do the Cougar rumble one more time... 

What to do, what to do. 

Let's take an informal poll-should I go or stay home? Did you go to yours? 

All I need is a miracle...

And a miracle I received! When I came back from vacation, my driver side window mysteriously stopped working and would not go up or down-which made scanning my badge in the parking garage rather difficult.

But, this morning, I randomly tried it and it worked! Amazing. It was probably because my car got to spend its first night ever in the garage last night.

All moved in!

Well, the move is over and I absolutely love our new place. I woke up this morning and heard...nothing! Fabulous. (I also did not smell any pot, which is yet another bonus.)

I've moved three times in the last three years and I can emphatically say that I detest moving. But, those times I've moved I've been reminded how blessed I am to have such great (strong) friends to help.

I generally like doing things myself. Growing up, I hated group projects because I suppose I hated having to relinquish some control over the assignment. But, I was amazed last night just how fast moving could go-and how enjoyable-when you have a group of people there to help share the burden. Emily and Leah even unpacked all of our kitchen stuff!

So thank YOU Steve, Justin, Emily, Brad, Leah, and Jason. I hope you aren't too sore today-and thanks for moving so quickly that I was still able to get to bed by 10:30p.m. :-)

Vacation was amazing...

Here are a few highlights. More details to come. Must get ready for a long day at work tomorrow (bleh).

Crossing over again.

I really did not want to have to get Time Warner cable and internet at my new place. But, Cincinnati Bell's new Fioptic tv (or whatever it's called) isn't available where I'm living and I can't get a satellite.

*Sigh* So it looks like Time Warner wins again. If only there was a television service that offered basic cable + the Food Network. I'd be set.
Vacation in T-one day.

Be careful what you write...

Interesting article about how divorce attorneys are now using the spouse's Facebook page (and Twitter accounts, etc.) during divorce cases. Yikes. I've never really understood how or why people use public avenues like those to "air one's dirty laundry" as they might say.

But, we all know people (and probably have "friends" on our facebook accounts) who do just this. Interesting...

Anywho, the day after tomorrow we'll be driving to the beach, yessssssssss. Much much work to do in the meantime...

TGIF

I adore casual Fridays. There is something wonderful about being able to slip on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt instead of rummaging through my drawer trying to find a pair of pantyhose without a run in them. I woke up nearly an hour late (6:15am instead of 5:15am) and still made it to work on time. Fantastic!

And there is just so much to look forward to-weekend at a lake with friends (and little cell phone service-yay!), leaving for the beach in 6 days, and moving to a new townhouse in 28 days! Wow.

It's going to be a great day...even if I did call in for a conference call 5 hours earlier than it is actually scheduled to take place. Ooops!

An oxymoron of sorts.

I have two recommendations to share with you today. And they are polar opposites of each other.

First, I'd recommend The 30 Day Shred DVD by Jillian Michaels. I am almost done with all 30 days and yikes, it's still hard. I don't do fancy choreographed workouts and this DVD is no nonsense. You will sweat (a lot) and do a lot of old school exercises (jumpjacks and pushups, anyone?) and do a ridiculous amount of plyometrics. But, hey, they work! The best part is the DVD is less than 30 minutes long. Anyone can workout for 20 minutes. I added it to my morning run, and I definitely can feel a difference in my strength. I know I've lost a few pounds too, but I don't monitor closely enough to know the exact amount.

Second, I'd recommend the Barefoot Contessa's peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies. YUM. If you like a reece's peanut butter cup, you will love these. I'm thinking I would get more toned from The Shred if I stopped making baked goods. Oh well. Recipe follows!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, recipe courtesy Barefoot Contessa's book Parties!

Ingredients

1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

1.5 Cups light brown sugar, packed

3/4 Cup granulated sugar

2 extra-large eggs at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 Cup good smooth peanut butter (I used Kroger brand, not sure if that qualifies as "good")

2.5 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound good semisweet chocolate chunks (c'mon splurge on the ghiradelli, it will taste that much better)

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Directions

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and peanut butter, and mix. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the batter, mixing only until combined. I never sift my dry ingredients. I'm sure you should though! ;)

Fold in the chocolate chunks. Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using either a 1-3/4-inch ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands, flatten the dough lightly, then press the tines of a wet fork in both directions. Bake for exactly 17 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Do not overbake. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

I had a smaller ice cream scoop (believe it is 1.5 inches) and I baked mine 15 minutes and they were perfect.

I should've known.

I pulled out a pair of pants this morning from my closet I haven't worn in a very long time. They are cute and I asked myself "why have you not worn these?!"

I found out the answer when I arrived at work and remembered these are the pants that have the zipper that doesn't stay up and slides down periodically. Wonderful.

Oh well, I don't think anyone will notice. I'm guessing they will instead notice that my pants are soaking wet from the knee down from walking into work during the thunderstorm this morning.

Every time I have to walk to the office in rain, I more seriously consider purchasing a pair of wellies. What do you think? Cute or ugly?

Near Death Experience #2

My first near-death experience took place when I worked at a video store and we were robbed one night. Scary. I was like 19 years old.

This morning, my second near death experience occurred while I was traveling down 75 South on my way into work. I was just about to my exit, yapping away on my cell phone when the car in front of me made a noise that seriously sounded like a gun shot. There was a big cloud of black smoke and I noticed tire treads hitting my windshield. (Which is great when you are driving 60mph.) I slammed on my breaks and somehow managed to avoid hitting this man. Somehow the car-missing an entire tire-managed to cut across 3 lanes of traffic without hitting anyone.

Yikes. My heart is still beating so fast.

time flies.

I love this comic. So true. If it gets cut off (which it probably will because I have no idea how to properly format things on this blog), just click the picture to expand OR click here.

Advice Requested!

I'm going through one of those hair phases where my hair literally looks sick every day. Or maybe I am just bored with it. But, yeesh. It seems so blah. So, what should I do? I could:

a. Cut it short (see pic below)

b. Leave it and let it continue growing-maybe get some new clips/headbands

c. Get highlights (this is very unlikely. I've never colored my hair and while I'm not opposed to it when I start going gray, I know I won't want to spend the $ to maintain it...)

So, which do you like better-short or long? (Sorry for the terrible picture choices, I'm limited at what I have on this computer!)

Or I could always revert to the younger years...

Awww how cute...

Fi is afraid of thunderstorms. To assuage her fear, she barks her head off at lightning and thunder. Oh wait, that isn't cute at all.

Last night, she had a near death experience at my hands. Seriously, I was ready to let that dog out the front door and lock it twice. Ok, now that I've written that, it seems very mean-but I am not operating on a full night's sleep! I've tried the following during thunderstorms:

1. Shutting her in my bedroom and ignoring the barking. Definitely does not work-still barked. I would've used her crate, but it was out in my car.
2. Leashing her and popping her collar every time she barks. My shoulder is sore today from doing this, and I can only image how her neck must feel this morning. Failure!
3. Forcing her to lay on the ground and hold a "stay" position. Riiiight.
4. Squirting her with water every time she barks. She looked like she had a bath and my bed was so wet I thought maybe she had peed on it. Failure!

I'm thinking of trying the next two things:
1. Citronella collar that squirts her when she barks. These make me nervous, though. I know it's not painful, but it still seems kind of weird to use.
2. "doggie downers"-or some other kind of mild sedative when I know a storm is coming. I've asked my vet about these before and while he discourages their use, he does use them on occasion. Lucky for me, I am going to the vet next Tuesday.

Thoughts? What am I doing wrong? Have you ever used a citronella collar??

I NEED CESAR!!!!!!!!

For your viewing pleasure

Busy day today including a little test I must take! In the meantime, enjoy this picture from the zoo when Steve and I went a few weekends ago...he bears a striking resemblance to Steve, right? 

he he.

whew.

The ticker on the right is a bit misleading. We're not actually leaving for vacation until the 18th of June (I think I wasn't sure back when I created that ticker and now it won't let me change it). In 17 short, sweet days I'll be reading a fantastic novel, watching the waves, and smelling salty beach air. I am, quite honestly, consumed with excitement.

Until then, though, I will literally feel like a chicken with its head cut off. I have a ton to get done before I actually hop in the car and jet down to the Outer Banks. Including: take (and hopefully pass) the federal bar exam, clear out my work stuff for the time I am out of town, begin packing for moving on July 1 (yikes)...and basically my next two weekends are completely booked-which means this all must get done after work during the week. Riiiiight... ;)

It makes me tired just thinking about all that--better go make some coffee!

Smells like summer.

Oh yes. I am brewing Green Mountain's coconut coffee in my office as we speak! Smells like summer!

Love it.

Save a buck, you're in luck.

I am not a thrifty person. I don't count my pennies the way I should. But, I've recently come to the conclusion that I need to be more disciplined about how I spend money (um see previous post on Bally's debacle where I didn't even realize they'd be charging me for months).

I'm also not rich. I make enough money that I am not living paycheck to paycheck; but, not enough that I don't feel the pinch sometimes. So, I've made, and am in the process of making, a few changes to my "way of budgeting"-which isn't really a way at all-and thought I'd share. While I'll never be the coupon guru that Sean is (or Jana is learning to be), there are some easy ways to shave a few bucks off the monthly budget. Here's what I'm doing-remember I'm not perfect and can't go from paying no attention to my budget to being a freak about it overnight.

Lizzie's Baby Steps to Budgeting

1. Stop buying bagged lettuce. This tip came from my sister. In my quest to get thin before the beach, I've been eating a lot of salads. I usually buy bagged lettuce because it's already cut and cleaned. It's also super expensive. Last weekend I purchased a head of romaine and a head of red lettuce leaves (do not buy iceberg-what is the point? No nutrition!) for $1.97 total. I have had salads every day this week and still have enough lettuce for 3 more salads. I washed and cut it all on Monday afternoon. Salad bags are usually on sale for 2/$4 or 2/$5. I would need 4-5 bags to equate this amount of lettuce. You do the math.

2. Buy bags of apples instead of giant ones individually. Again, I eat a lot of produce during the week which gets expensive. A bag of smaller (properly portioned!) apples is way cheaper than buying 4 nearly 1lb. apples. Now they have nearly ever variety of apple available in the bags-it's worth it and they last a long time.

3. Pack your lunch. Working downtown it's very easy to slip into the habit of buying lunch every day. But even a salad at ingredients will cost me $6-$8 dollars depending on what's in it. This is kind of a "duh" one.

4. Buy cans of pop. I went through a period where I'd buy a Sprite Zero from the vending machine almost daily. That is $1/day. Yikes. I have shifted to buying 12 packs of the pop I like (currently Fresca and Diet Ice Tea with Lemon are in the rotation). Even if you are paying $3 for a 12-pack it's WAY cheaper than hitting up the vending machine for a carbonated afternoon beverage. I know-this is so obvious, but I had to start somewhere!

5. Sell stuff. I have some designer bags/purses and clothes that have never been used or worn. And some that are very gently used. If I haven't worn or used it in the last 6 months, odds are I never will again. I put some items on eBay last night and already sold one! I am ashamed at the amount of stuff that I have that I can list as "new with tags." The first step is admitting you have a problem, right? Even if it sells for $5, it's out of my closet and money in my pocket.

6. Online coupons. I wouldn't be honest with myself if I said I would clip coupons and get a huge binder and do all that business every week. I'd just end up buying stuff I don't need. BUT, there are three websites where you can load coupons right onto your Kroger Plus Card. I mean, why wouldn't you? It's easy and ridiculous not to. The websites are:
cellfire.com
shortcuts.com
http://www.pgesaver.com/Sites/PG_eSAVER/Page/HomePage
All you have to do is enter your card number or phone number and click to add coupons. Um, it could not be easier.

7. Do not ever pay for online shipping. Check dealcatcher.com or run a simple google search like "Jcrew free shipping code" and 9 times out of 10 you will find one. I haven't paid for shipping in a long time.

8. Use cash. I just started this one this week. Um, this makes a HUGE difference. I can swipe my debit card like nobody's business, but I hate shelling out $20 for anything. I must get more diligent about using cash if I really want to save money.

9. Plan ahead. I have a long list of furniture I want to buy in July for my new place. Instead of doing what I usually would do (go out and buy it all at once and panic that I have no money), I'm going to plan and do things now so that I easily have the funds available then. And, when I'm going out to eat or for drinks, I need to set limits on what I will get and stick to it.

10. Make goals. There are budgeting techniques I need to master-like using cash more and actually monitoring my accounts to see what is going out and in. I will actually need help figuring out how to do my budget (i.e. how much cash should I allot for groceries and gas, etc.). My goal is to figure out how to do this over the summer so by the time fall rolls around I am a budgeting machine! We'll see. ;)

a bad equation

Strawberry chip Graeter's (delicious by the way) + slow-grilled Ribs + lots of wine + buttery corn on the cob + hot fudge sundae from Mr. Freeze (!) + amazing warm cinnamon vanilla bagel from Barry's (smothered in butter of course) = pretty good chance I gained back the 4 lbs I lost last week in 3 days this weekend.

Grrrrreat. And the beach is right around the corner. I'm pretty sure I heard my bikini laughing at me when I looked at it this morning.

But what a fantastic weekend!

C'est chique.

I know it might not be stylish, but I think it'd be sweet if they started making suits with elbow patches. I noticed my black suit jacket is wearing pretty thin in the elbows because I sit kind of propped up all day.

And maybe it would carry over to items like sweaters? Almost all the sweaters I wear to work are nearly worn in the elbows. What the heck!

What do you think-stylish or sick?

(This was the only picture I could find of a woman with a jacket with elbow patches. I'm thinking they are sick, not stylish. Too bad!)

Scuzzbag out of jail.

Well it seems Michael Vick gets to leave prison today to serve out the rest of his 23 month sentence confined to his million dollar mansion. Tough life.

This man literally makes me sick. Debates are going around whether he should be permitted back into the NFL. Do these people realize what he has done? He's electrocuted dogs. He participated in hanging dogs and shooting them. We're not talking about swatting Fido with a newspaper because he won't stop barking. We're talking about torture.

I'll tell you this-I will not support the NFL if they welcome him back into their sport. I will not buy Steelers' t-shirts or pay for expensive cable to watch their games. It's WRONG. And it's a shame our laws don't protect domesticated animals (treating them as personal property like a DVD player, rather than like the living creatures they are).

Bleh. I never should've opened up cnn.com today. Michael Vick leaves a sick taste in my mouth.

In more positive news, you should watch the tv series Dogtown on National Geographic. They work on rehabilitating dogs of all kinds, but mostly of dogs engaged in the horrible world of dogfighting.

Sun.

It's a busy week and I don't have much to write about. I just wish I were outside enjoying this fantasticly perfect weather instead of inside staring at a computer screen.

Oh the beach is so close I can almost taste it! I am scheduling a massage to be performed in a gazebo overlooking the water-jealous?? :-)

Read the fine print.

I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. A lesson that, as an attorney, I should already know. You see, nearly three years ago, when I was still living in Dayton, I signed a contract for a membership with a Bally Total Fitness. The contract was for two years. When I moved to Cincinnati in 2007, I couldn't cancel the membership because there was another location within 25 miles (I think it was something like 19 miles away-SWEET!). I understood and continued paying every month through the end of the contract. The contract ended this past December of 2008.

Or so I thought.

Over the weekend, I visited my sister and came across a piece of mail delivered to me at her house from good old Bally's advising that I needed to get a new debit card on file because my old one expired. Strange, I thought. Then I did a little investigating on my bank account and discovered that each month since January, Bally's has been withdrawing $14.99 (half of my original monthly rate) despite the fact that my contract expired in December of 2008. The only reason it didn't charge me for April was because my card number had changed.

Irate, I called this morning to find out what the heck was going on. After 95 minutes on hold (I am not kidding, I literally had to go through 4 automated prompts to sit on hold for 95 minutes), I finally got through to a gentleman who sounded anything but American. I'm pretty sure Bally's outsources its customer service.

I explained the situation and said two things: 1. I want to cancel this contract immediately and 2. I want to be refunded the 14.99 you've charged my account three times. He then had the nerve to ask me why I wanted to cancel and if I wanted to possibly transfer my membership to a family member or friend. Why yes, your customer service is so helpful and your company is so non-deceptive, I'd love to rope one of my friends into the same kind of horrid contract.

Finally, after 20 minutes of explaining that "to cancel" really means "to cancel" as in FOREVER, he said my account was cancelled, but that unfortunately he could not refund me the $60 Bally's stole.

And here is where the lesson is learned. Apparently, the contract states in little bitty print that if you do not cancel with 60 days notice (wow), you are charged on a monthly basis until you do cancel. Nice. So, I signed the contract and I'm bound-fine I get it. I'm just glad to be out of that mess.

So, we should all read what we sign. Every word. Be it a car loan, mortgage, a lease, or a freaking gym membership. It's your money. And while I have a few choice words for Bally's (which will be going in a letter to their customer service department), ultimately, I am the one responsible for not knowing to what I was agreeing before I signed the document.

I guess I learned two lessons, the second being to keep better track of my bank account. Yikes.

Perfection

I've found it. The latte has too much milk in it. The cappuccino is too frothy. The regular cup of coffee is not strong enough some mornings (like today).

Enter-Cafe Americano. Espresso + water + shot of sugar free hazelnut syrup = deliciousness, without the stomach ache that comes with all that milk in a latte.

Love it. And it's way cheaper than a latte, too! The perfect drink when one feels like indulging in a caffeinated treat.

Two questions

1. Do you have suggestions on how to stop a dog from barking at thunder other than holding her in your arms-this tends to be problematic when trying to take a shower, for example? If not, do you happen to know of a dog trainer who works miracles and would do private lessons?

2. Do you know where I can find a wind-proof umbrella that is a substantial size (as far as coverage is concerned) but not super heavy (i.e. big golf umbrella)?

Ok, so that sounds more like three questions.

Did you get your copy yet?

I keep seeing this face all over downtown and think to myself-hey, I think I know that guy.

I think I'm immune.

If I were to get swine flu, I'm pretty sure I would've picked it up this morning on the elevator at the Hamilton County Courthouse crammed back in the corner behind 17 people in an elevator that comfortably holds 4. And I'm guessing about 13 of them didn't shower this morning, and another 3 didn't shower this month.

I held my breath on the ride up to the fifth floor. I hope that was enough to ward off those germs.